You have years and years ahead of you.

I have been on 6 cruises and never had a problem lost at sea.

You might just have a wonderful time, plus you’ll get to see Europe! Give the folks a break and go with them and have fun.

It looks like 3 want to cruise (your parents and your sister) on the same cruise ship. Assuming that is the case and the parents are financing the cruise, I’d guess it is a safe assumption that Europe will probably the destination this summer.

Next question would be: Is there a specific time-frame that your family wants to cruise this summer?

Cost is a consideration. Having said that, do your parents have a travel budget in mind?

Does your family have valid visas/passports? (They are mandatory on all International travel)

What city/port will they depart from?

To answer the question about ship safety, yes problems can happen on a ship. However, on any reputable cruise line there is always someone to assist you depending on the problem in question.

From my professional and personal point of view, I would venture to say that Europe is preferable to St. Barts. That is because with a European cruise, you get to see many more destinations, experience different cultures, and eat different types of cuisine when not onboard the ship. That does not mean that St. Barts is not a good place to go; actually it is. The downside to St. Barts is that it is a bit on the touristy side. On the other hand, St. Barts has warmer weather and the beaches are plentiful.

That’s where one of the dilemmas lie. Your parents want Europe and your sister wants St. Barts. So again in my professional and personal opinion, Europe has more to offer overall than St. Barts.

St Barts is okay too – typical Caribbean island with fantastic beaches gleaming with white sands (ah, the good life!) but it can only offer water-related activities.

Go for the cruise…..Europe is beautiful this time of the year!